Apparatus for sharpening the knives of slicing machines



July 18, 1933. A. VAN DUYN 1,918,576

APPARATUS FOR SHARPENING KNIVES OF SLICING MACHINES Filed April 28, 1930 MWWW,

EZUGYLW:

Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADRIANUS VAN DUYN, F ROTTERIDAM, NETHERLANDS, ASSIGNOBV TO U. S. SLICING ELACHINE COMPANY, 035 LA FORTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA APPARATUS FOR SHARIEENING THE KNIVES OF SLIGING MACHINES Application filed April 28, 1930, Serial No. 447,902, and in Great Britain May 31, 1929.

a manually actuated controlling device to.

hold the grinding element in a predetermined plane of operation and preventing the grinding element from moving out of such plane.

More particularly it is the object of the present invention to provide for a grinding element a friction device co-acting with a manually actuated cam to lock the grinding element against movement in either direction along its axis of rotary movement while.

permitting free rotation of the grinding element on such ax s in operative position in engagement with the slicing machine knife.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims. a

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the sharpening apparatus embodying my invention, the grinding elements being shown in inoperative positions;

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, but showing the grinding elements in operative positions inengagement with the slicing machine knife; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view taken in the direc-' i tionof the arrows 33 shown in Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawing, a portion of the rotary circular knife of a slicing machine is shown at 4. The sharpening mechanism comprises grinding elements in the 'form of wheels and 6 of emery or other abrasive material, said wheels constituting respectively the primary and secondary elements or the sharpening grinding element and the burr removing grinding element, 50 In a well-known manner, the Wheel 5 is adapted to perform the primary grinding of the beveled edge of the rotary circular knife 4 and the wheel 6 is adapted to remove the burr formed on the opposite edge of the knife during such grinding.

The sharpening mechanism comprising th two grinding wheels 5 and 6 is mounted on a frame 7 which is adapted to slide up and down on the post 8 secured to the'frame of the slicing machine. A guard cover 9 may be secured to the frame 7. The sharpening mechanism may be slid vertically on the post 8 to enable the wheels 5 and 6 to clear the upper edge of the slicing machine knife 4 when the sharpening mechanism is turned onthe post. 8 away from the slicing machine knife. v

The grinding wheel 5 is secured at 10 to one end of the rotatable spindle 11 which is journaled in the nonrotatable sleeve 12. A thrusthalhbearing 13 is located between the grinding wheel 5 and the non-rotatable sleeve 12 whileatthe other end of the spindle 11 a retaining nut 14 is secured to the spindle 11 in position to bear against the adjacent end of the sleeve 12. It will thus be seen that the thrust bearing 13 and the retaining nut 14 confine the spindle 11 against movement longitudinally of the axis of the spindle 11 while permitting free rotation of the spindle 11 in the sleeve bearing 12.

The sleeve 12 is mounted in the stationary support or auxiliary frame 15 which is secured to the frame 7 The sleeve 12 is slidable longitudinally in the support 15 to a limited extent. A spring 16 is interposed between the annular flange 17 on the sleeve 12 and'the shoulder 18 in the recess 19 in the support 15. This spring acts to urge the sleeve 12 together with the spindle 11 and the grinding wheel 5 toward the knife 4a A pin 20 is secured at one end to the sleeve 12 in position to extend through a slot 21 in the support 15. A cam 22 is secured to the transverse'sl'iaft 23 in position to engage the pin 20 as shown in Fig. 1 to move the pin 20 V rearwardly along the slot 21 against the action of the spring 16. To the shaft 23 is secured a hand lever 24; which projects through a slot 25 in the cover 9. It will thus be seen that when the lever 24 is moved. in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l, the cam 22 engages the pin 20 to effect movcment of the grinding wheel to its inoperative position, and if desired, the arrangement may be such that the friction between the cam 22 and the pin will hold the grinding wheel in inoperative position even after the hand lever 24 is released, although if .ired, a spring maybe mounted on the shaft 23 and connected to the cam 22 at 29 to auto matically move the lever 24 to its full line position shown in Fig; 1 when the lever is released.-

In a similar manner, when the hand lever 24 is moved in an anti-cloelnvise direction the cam 27 on the shaft'28 may engage the pin 28 to effect movement of the burr removing nder 6 to its inoperative position shown in 1. The mechanism between the pin 28 and the burr removing grinder 6 may be the same as that shown in Fig. 1 between the pin 29 and the grinding wheel 5. he friction between the cam 27 and the pin 28 may assist in holding the burr removing grinder 6 in its inoperative position out of engagement with r the knife 4.

By movement of the lever 24. in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 2, the cams 22 and 27 release the pins 20 and 28 whereupon the actuating springs for the respective grinding wheels 5 and 6 will move these grinding wheels into their operative po itions in engagement with the rotary slicing knife 4. In order to avoid irregularities in the sharpening operation, it'is desirable to lock the grinding wheel 5 against movement along its axis of rotation in either direction while permitting free rotation of the )indle 11 in the sleeve bearing 12. For this purpose, I have provided a friction plate 29 with a hole in one end thereof fitting over the pin 20. hen the plate 29 is in position it is above the slot 21 and on the support l5 so as to move bodily with the pin 20 below the cam 22. The upper surface of the sup port 15 is preferably-flat on its upper side at 30 to serve. as a guide for the fiat-plate 29. The upper surface of the .plate 29 may be roughened such as by means'of milling or it may be provided with serrations or corrugations.

to say, by movement of the lever 24 the pin 20 is released by the cam 22 and while the latter is moving out of engagement with the pin 20 into engagement with the plate 29, the grinding wheel 5 has already been moved by the spring 16 into engagement with the knife 4. Therefore the grinding wheel will move into engagement with the knife 4 before the cam 22 engages the plate 29. The cam 22 may be tightly wedged against the upper surface of the plate 29 upon the final movement being imparted to the hand lever 24. lVhen the lever 24 is in the position shown in Fig. 2,the point of contact of the cam 22 with the plate 29 is only slightly toward the right of a vertical line from the axis of the shaft 23 to the upper plane surface of the plate 29. When this locking takes place the pin 20 is prevented from movement in either direction along the slot 21 and therefore the sleeve 12 and the spindle 11 are locked against longitudinal movement but the grinding wheel 5 is still free to rotate on the thrust bearing 13. Not only is the grinding element locked against movement away from the knifebut also against movement in the opposite direction. The grinding plane of the element 5 is therefore locked in a predetermined fixed position.

It will be noted that the cam 22 will engage the friction pad 29 to lock the grinder in grinding position and give to the grinder a slight amount of positive actuation in the direction of the knife so that a little added pressure is imparted to the grinder and ac eordingly the grinder will be more positive in its action than where actuated purely by the-spring16.- In addition, the grinder is held against movement away from the knife by the co-operation of the cam 22 and the frictionpad 29 in the manner clearly pointed out previously. The arrangement as illustrated isvery simple and a single cam accomplishes'two functions, viz: the function of moving the grinder away from the knife and lockin the grinder in the grinding position against 'movement toward and away from the knife. i

When the hand lever 24 is moved in an anti-clockwise direction from its position shown in Fig. 2, the cam 22 is released from the plate 29 before it engages the pin 20. Upon movement of the lever 24 to its full line posit-ion shown in Fig. 1 both of the wheels 5 and 6 are moved to their inoperative positions and held by their cams 22 and 27 engaging the'pins 20 and 28 respectively. The burr removing grin-der'6 may also be locked in operative position against movement in either direction along its axis while permitting free rotation thereof, by providing an additional plate connected to the pin 28in a manner similar to the connection of the plate 29 with the pin 20. An additional cam on the shaft 28 may be provided for engaging such additional plate when the lever 24 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 to effect such locking of the grinding wheel 6.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended and I wish thereforenot to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus fully disclosed an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In sharpening apparatus, the combination with a grinding element, of means for moving said grinding element to operative position, mechanism comprising a cam for moving said grinding element to inoperative position, and a device in position to be engaged by said cam to effect locking of the grinding element in operative position.

2. In sharpening apparatus, the combina tion with a grinding element, of a spring for moving said grinding element toward its operative position, manually operable means comprising a cam for moving said grinding element to inoperative position, said cam holding the grinding element in inoperative position when said means is manually released, and a device connected to said grinding element and mounted in position to co-act with said cam to lock the grinding element in noi'i-yielding operative position when said manually'operable means is moved into position to cause said spring to move said grind ing element into operative position.

3. In sharpening apparatus, the combina-' tion with a grinding element, of a spindle therefor, a sleeve bearmg, means for confining said spindle against longitudinal move ment relatively to said bearing-while permitting rotary movement relatively thereto, a stationary support, a spring between said support and said sleeve bearing, a flange on said sleeve bearing engaged by said spring to move the grinding element into yielding operative position, a radial pin secured to said sleeve bearing and extending through a slot in said support, a rock shaft, a: cam on said shaft in position to engage said pin, a lever for rocking said shaft to move said cam into engagement with said pin to move the said bearing and said grinding element to inoperative position, and a friction plate connected to said pin to move therewith in position to be engaged by said cam to lock the grinding element in non-yielding operative position.

a. In sharpening apparatus for slicing machines, the combination with a grinding element, of a cam, a lever for operating said cam, and means in position to be engaged by said cam for moving the grinding element to inoperative position and means also engageable by said cam for locking the grinding element non-yieldingly in operative position.

5. In sharpening apparatus for slicing machines, the combination witha grinding element, of a lever, a cam connected to said lee ver, means in position to be engaged by said cam'for moving the grinding element to inoperative position and holding it there when said lever isreleased, and means in position to be engaged by said cam to lock the grinding element in operative position.

6. In sharpening apparatus for slicing machines, the combination with a grinding element, of aspring for moving said grinding element to yielding operative position, a cam. a lever connected to said cam, means actuated by said cam for moving said grinding ele-' shaft, a lever connected to said shaft, means in position to be engaged by said cams for moving said grinding elements to inoperative position and holding them there when the said leveris released, and means controlled by one of said cams for positively looking one of said grinding elements in nonyielding operative position.

8. In a sharpening apparatus, the combination with agrinding element, of a means for moving said grinding element to operative position, a member operatively connected. to said grinding element, a cam having a cam surface engaging said member for actuating said member to thereby move said grinding element to inoperative position, and a device in position to be engaged by said cam surface to effect locking of the grinding element in operative position.

9. In asharpening apparatus for slicing machine knives, the combination with a grinder movable to and from the knife, a member operatively connected to said grind.- er, a friction pad operatively connected to said member, a support for said grinder, said grinder moving relatively to its support, a cam for moving said grinder away from said knife, and a cam'for engaging said friction pad to hold said friction pad positively against said support to lock the grinder in grinding position. v

10. A sharpening apparatus for slicing machine knives comprising a grinder spindle, a grinder on said spindle, means for supporting said grinder spindle, means for moving said grinder spindlerelatively to its support, a locking member movable with said spindle and adapted to engage said support, and means for forcing said locking member into engagement with said support to positively hold the grinder against movement away from the slicing knife.

11. A sharpening apparatus for slicing machine knivescomprising a grinder spindle, a grinder on said spindle, means for supporting said grinder spindle, means for moving said grinder spindle relatively to its support, a locking member movable with said spindle and adapted. to engage said'support, and means for forcing said locking member into engagement with said support to positively hold the grinder against movement toward and from the slicing machine knife. v

12. In a slicing machine, the combination with a spindle, support for said spindle, a grinder carried by said spindle, a projection operatively connected to said spindle and movable therewith, a locking element carried by said projection and arranged adjacent said support, and means for engaging said locking means to force said locking means against said support and thereby positively lock said spindle in adjusted position in its support. g

13. In a sharpening apparatus, the combination with a spindle, a grinder carried by said spindle, a support for said spindle, said spindle being mounted for longitudinal movement in said support, an abutment carried by said spindle and movable longitudinally therewith, a friction element connected to said abutment, and an element movable to different positions for engaging said abutment to move said spindle longitudinally in its bearin gs and. also engage said element and hold said friction clementagainst said support to lock said spindle in longitudinally adjusted position Within its support.

14. In a sharpening apparatus for slicing machine knives, the combinaton with a support having a bearing thereon, a spindle slidable longitudinally in said bearing, a spring for urging said spindle in one direction longitudinally of its bearing, an abutment connected to said spindle, and means operating against said abutment for moving the grinder in the opposite direction in its bearing to that in which it is moved by said spring, a friction locking element operatively connected to said abutment for movement therewith, and. means engaging said friction locking element for locking said grinder in adjusted position longitudinally of its bearing against movement longitudinally in its bearing in either direction.

15. In a sharpening apparatus for slicing machines, the combination with a stationary bearing member, asleeve slidable longitudinally in said bearing member, a spindle carried by said sleeve, a grinder carried by said spindle, a spring for moving said sleeve in one direction, said sleeve and spindle being movable in unison with each other, an abutment on said sleeve, a friction element embracing said abutment, and having a surface thereof arranged adjacent a surface on said bearing memberother than that which slidably engages said sleeve, and means for forcing said friction element against said bearing to prevent longitudinal movement of said spindle toward or away from the knife after the grinder is moved into grinding position by said spring.

'16. A device as claimed in claim 15 in which the means which operates the friction element also engages said abutment to move the grinder away from grinding position after the friction element has been released.

17. In sharpening apparatus, the co1nbination with a grinding element, of means for moving said grinding element to operative position, mechanism comprising a cam having a single operative surface thereon for moving said grinding element to inoperative position and a substantially non-yielding device in position to be engaged by said cam surface to effect locking of the grinding element in operative position.

ADRIANUS VAN DUYN.

Cr: my 

